Selenops actophilus Chamberlin, 1924

Crews, Sarah C., 2011, A revision of the spider genus Selenops Latreille, 1819 (Arachnida, Araneae, Selenopidae) in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, ZooKeys 105, pp. 1-182 : 47-49

Selenops actophilus Chamberlin, 1924 Figs 53-56198Map 7

Selenops actophilus Chamberlin 1924: 655, Figs 95-98 (♂, ♀, examined).

Selenops actophilus : Muma 1953: 14, Figs 19-22 (♂, ♀).

Type material.

Holotype male: San Carlos Bay, Sonora, México, 7.VII.1921, J.C. Chamberlin (CAS1435, examined).

Other material examined.

MÉXICO: Baja California: Meling Ranch, 26.V.1981, V. Roth, 1♂ (AMNH). Chihuahua: 19 mi SW Tejaban along Urique River, 19.V.1991, R.E. Stecker 1♂ (CAS); 10 mi SW Tejaban along Urique River, 11-15.V.1991, R.E. Stecker, 2♀, 1♂, 3 imm. (CAS); 25 mi SW Tejaban along Urique River, 20-23.V.1991, R.E. Stecker, 1♂ (CAS). Sinaloa: 40 miles south of Culiacán, 6.VIII.1956, V. Roth, W.J. Gertsch, 1♀ (AMNH). Sonora: Guaymas, under a rock on hill above Jamison's Dock, 3.IV.1964, W. Shear, 1♀ (AMNH); Guaymas, 24.VI.1943, F.J. Pough, 1♀ (AMNH); Guaymas, 14.IV.1921, J. C. Chamberlin, 1♀ (AMNH); Guaymas, 9.IV.1921, E.P. Van Duzee, 1♀ (AMNH); San Pedro Bay, 7.VII. 1921, J.C. Chamberlin (CAS1436); 15 miles west of Yecora, 4000', 7.VIII.1986, V. Roth, 1♀ (CAS); Navajoa, 1.VIII.1952, P., C. Vaurie, 1♂ (AMNH); Alamos, on building, 27.IV.1986, V. Roth, several (AMNH); Sonoran Highway on way to Yecora, 28°34'08.7"N, 109°39'28.1"W, 1512', 14.VII.2007, M. VanDam, 1♀ (EME sel_851). UNITED STATES: Arizona: Cochise Co., Chiricahua Mtns.,1.VI.1952, M. Cazier, W.J. Gertsch, R. Schrammel, 1♀ (AMNH); Cochise Co., 4 mi west of Portal, South fork of Cave Creek, 10.VI.1958, W.J, J.W. Gertsch, 1♀ (AMNH); Cochise Co., Chiricahua Mtns, SWRS, 5400', 5.VI.1965, D. Ligon, 1♀ (AMNH); Cochise Co., Chiricahua Mountains, South Fork of Cave Creek, 31.51 N, 109.12 W, 24.V.1963, W.J. Gertsch, W. Ivie, 1♂, 1♀ (AMNH); Mohave Co., South of Wickieup, 2.7 miles from Hwy 93, Burro Creek Crossing Road, 34°36'449"N, 113°28'921"W, S. Crews, L. Bell, 1♂ (CAS sel_001); Pima Co., Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, 10.VI.1952, M. Cazier, W. J. Gertsch, R. Schrammel, 1♂ (AMNH); Santa Cruz Co., Pena Blanca Lake, northwest of Nogales, 31.24 N, 111.05 W, 19.V.1963, W. J. Gertsch, W. Ivie, several (AMNH); Santa Cruz Co., 10 miles east of Nogales, 9.V.1961, W.J. Gertsch, 1♀, 1 imm. (AMNH); Santa Cruz Co., Santa Rita Mountains, Madera Canyon, 7.VI.1952, Cazier, Gertsch, Schrammel, 1♀ (AMNH - with a male, however, male cannot be confirmed as this species). Texas: Alpine Co, 30.VI.1965, running on ground, M.H. Muma, 1♂ (FSU); Brewster Co., Big Bend National Park, The Basin, 5400', 24.V.1965, K.W. Haller, 1♂ (AMNH); Presidio Co., 11 miles west of Valentine, VI.1948, Reagan, Flury, 2♀ (AMNH); Val Verde Co., 19 miles north of Comstock, 14.IV.1973, C. Soileau, 2♀, 1♂, 3 imm. (AMNH); Val Verde Co., Seminole Canyon, Hwy 90, under bridge, 29°42.523"N, 101°18.138"W, 18.XI.2004, along road, under rock, P. Paquin, PP-8804, 1 imm. (EME sel_208).

Diagnosis.

Males can be distinguished from Selenops debilis and Selenops nesophilus by a combination of the embolus beginning at the 5 o'clock position and a MA that is broad, but tapers suddenly to a finger-like extension. Additionally, the conductor and RTA are shaped differently than those of Selenops debilis and Selenops nesophilus (Figs 59-62). Females can be distinguished by a more triangular epigynal plate, with a distally narrower septum. Internally, there is a much smaller invagination of the posterodorsal fold than in the other two species, and the spermathecae consist of two nearly parallel branches extending anteriorly (Figs 55-56).

Description.

Holotype male: Color:carapace brownish-red; sternum red-brown; chelicerae reddish-brown; maxillae light yellow-brown, lightening to white distally; labium grey-brown, lightening distally; abdomen dorsally grey-brown, damaged; ventrally dusky grey with no markings; legs orange-brown, annulations no longer apparent on this specimen. Carapace:0.96 times longer than broad; Eyes:AER slightly recurved; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.15, ALE 0.05, PME 0.20, PLE 0.33; interdistances AME-PME 0.05, PME-ALE 0.18, ALE-PLE 0.43. PME-PME 0.95 mm. ALE-ALE 1.58; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.40, PLE-PLE 1.95; clypeus 0.08 high. Mouthparts: chelicerae with a few stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:1.11 times longer than broad, posteriorly indented. Legs:Leg formula 4321 (Muma, 1953); scopulae present on distal end of all 4 tarsi; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw toothed, rl claw with fewer teeth; Leg I, missing; Leg II, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –2– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2– 2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, v 2-2, rl 1 –1– 0; Leg III, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, v 2 –1– 2; Mt v 2-2; Leg IV, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –2– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2– 2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, v 2-2, rl 1 –1– 0. Abdomen:without terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:Fm, spination dorsal 0 –1– 4; cymbium ovoid in ventral view; conductor large, subangular structure arising mediolaterally, curved on one side and sinuous on the other, angular at bottom, tapering upwards with small hook distally, pointed toward 12 o'clock; embolus long, slender, curving around edge of bulb, beginning at 4 o'clock, terminating at 12 o'clock; MA located at 2 o'clock position, directed laterally, with short, very wide base and a long finger-like process; RTA with two branches, ventral process smaller of the two and blunt and curved, the lateral process a stout stalk with large nearly quadrangular process; tibial apophyses extend at least ¼ the length the cymbium in ventral view (Figs 53-54). Dimensions: Total length 8.60. Carapace length 4.25, width 4.45. Sternum length 2.00, width 1.80. Abdomen length 3.35, width 2.55. Pedipalp: Fm 1.50, Pt 0.30, Ti 0.75, Ta 1.00, total 3.55. Leg I: Missing. Leg II: Fm 5.50, Pt 2.00, Ti 5.00, Mt 4.75, Ta 2.00, total 18.75. Leg III: Fm 5.90, Pt 1.75, Ti 5.00, Mt and Ta missing. Leg IV: Missing.

Female (CAS 1436): Color:carapace (CAS 1436) brown-red (recent) dusky yellow with dark patches laterally; sternum (CAS 1436) red-brown (recent) light orange-brown darker at border; chelicerae (CAS 1436) reddish-brown (recent) dusky yellow with broad lateral brown stripes; maxillae (CAS 1436) red-brown lightening distally (recent) light brown lightening distally; labium (CAS 1436) red-brown, lightening distally (recent) orange-brown, dusky on sides, lightening distally; abdomen dorsally (CAS 1436) grey-brown, damaged (recent) grey to cream-colored, slightly damaged, markings not visible; ventrally (CAS 1436) dark grey (recent) cream-colored; legs (CAS 1436) orange-brown, markings not visible (recent) dusky cream with stripes, not present on retrolateral side of femur. Carapace:0.98 times longer than broad. Eyes:AER slightly recurved; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.23, ALE 0.10, PME 0.35, PLE 0.53; interdistances AME-PME 0.05, PME-ALE 0.23, ALE-PLE 0.53. PME-PME 1.23. ALE-ALE 2.08; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.45, PLE-PLE 2.30; clypeus 0.23 high. Mouthparts:Chelicerae with stout setae medially and anteriorly; labium distally rounded. Sternum:1.13 times longer than broad, posteriorly indented. Legs:Leg I only slightly shorter than legs II, III and IV; leg formula 4321 (Muma, 1953); scopulae present on tarsi of all legs and metatarsi of legs I and II; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw per foot slightly toothed; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; leg II, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; leg III, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 0; Mt v 2-2; leg IV, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –0– 0, v 2 –2– 0, rl 1 –1– 0; Mt v 2-2. Abdomen:without terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:Claw with 11 teeth. Epigyne:epigynal plate triangular, narrow septum that widens and connects to what appear to be epigynal pockets, genital openings located where the septum begins to widen; internally, spermathecae simple, two branched cylindrical structures that extend anteriorly, with each branch nearly parallel to the other, though the outermost branches curve outward a bit; small posterodorsal fold present that doesn't cover any of the internal structures, and is just a very slight invagination of the bottom of the epigynal plate (Figs 55-56). Dimensions: Total length 8.68. Carapace: length 5.00 width 5.10. Sternum: length 2.25, width 2.00. Pedipalp: Fm 1.35, Pt 0.60, Ti 0.80, Ta 1.50, total 4.25. Leg I: Fm 5.00, Pt 1.80, Ti 4.00, Mt 3.50, Ta 1.75, total 16.05. Leg II: Missing. Leg III: Fm 5.80, Pt 2.00, Ti 4.65, Mt 4.00, Ta 1.75, total 18.20. Leg IV: Fm 5.75, Pt 2.00, Ti 4.75, Mt and Ta missing.

Natural History.

Collected under rocks in the arid southwest (Fig. 198).

Distribution.

Definitely found from Sonora, México, east to west Texas (Map 7). It may also be found in other areas of desert southwest of North America.